The skills gap impacts us all. From an underemployed friend or family member to a debt-laden millennial generation – it’s creating barriers to achieving life satisfaction and it’s holding back the U.S. economy. But how can we fix it? In today’s episode, we’ll hear about a new web-based resource designed to help narrow the skills gap. Guest Mark Schneider discusses how the tool, engineered with insight from the business community, will empower students to become informed consumers and make data-driven decisions about their career path based on tomorrow’s job market. Functioning as an ROI calculator, this tool could show results for both students and the business community. Bonus material: why joining the mafia is not the best career path. Learn more at www.collegemeasures.org.

Regardless of the size of your company’s energy bills, it’s important to understand what’s driving those rates – and which direction they’re headed next. Matt Letourneau joins us to discuss our nation’s energy supplies, why a diverse supply is important, and issues on the horizon that could impact on price and reliability of energy and goods and services.

Selecting the right health care benefits for your company is no small feat. There are a slew of factors to consider like hiring a broker, which benefit options employees would value most, as well as a mountain of rules and regulations. In this episode, Lauren Fifield outlines a roadmap to help employers select the right benefit options for their small business. Jennifer Pierotti Lim also joins us to discuss what’s happening on Capitol Hill that might give small business owners more flexibility. From SHOP to HRAs, tune in to learn more.

In this episode, Mark Elliot discusses the role that intellectual property plays in the global economy and how North Carolina’s use of innovation creates opportunity. Louis Foreman then outlines the economic value of intellectual property and how it can be a tool for inventors and entrepreneurs. Tune in to learn more about the importance of protections in the innovative process and the rights of an inventor.

If your small business offers a retirement plan, get ready for some significant changes this spring. A proposed rule from the Department of Labor, expected to go into effect by May, would increase the cost of retirement plans for small businesses – specifically those with 100 or fewer employees participating in the plan. It would also limit employers’ choice of plans and individuals retirement plan options, such as IRAs. This sweeping regulation will impact the rules governing more than $15 trillion in retirement savings – and, not surprisingly, result in some unintended consequences.

Tune in to learn more about the rule, how it will impact more than 9 million U.S. households, and what you can do about it.

The U.S. workforce participation rate is at a four-decade low. We have people without jobs—and jobs without people. How can we stimulate growth? How can we create jobs and raise incomes? U.S. Chamber President and CEO Tom Donohue outlines a 2016 agenda of policy changes and reforms, from expanding trade to advancing the energy revolution, that can revive our nation’s private sector and expand opportunity for all. Tune in for highlights from the 2016 State of American Business address and press conference.

Find Donohue’s full speech at https://www.uschamber.com/event/2016-state-american-business-address.

The United States legal system is the most costly in the world, making it a major factor in a business’ decision-making process, such as where to expand or relocate. In this episode, Harold Kim, executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, discusses how our legal climate plays an increasingly influential role in a company’s planning and operations. We’ll also hear Roberto Guerrero, owner of Cumaica coffee in San Francisco share the story of his own legal battle, and his advice for other business owners. Tune in to learn more.

For more information, visit www.facesoflawsuitabuse.org.

What do the military and the private sector have in common? People may not realize that 80% of jobs in the private sector have a corresponding job in the military. Each branch produces scientists, engineers, photographers, and doctors, just to name a few. In this episode, Chris Cook, Senior Recruiter at MERCK, discusses what a manager gets when hiring a veteran, and why it’s one of the best moves a company could make. How can veterans help your company grow? Join us to learn more.

Today, there are 5.5 million youth ages 16-24 that are out of school and out of work according to the Measure of America project. At the same time, employers are struggling to fill more than 5 million available jobs. Guests Blair Taylor, Chief Community Officer, Starbucks and Noel Ginsburg, CEO, Intertech Plastics, discuss why employing youth is not just the right thing to do; it is a smart business strategy. What are some different ways to get involved in youth employment? How can younger employees drive new ideas? Join us to learn more.

PHOTO: Evelyn Servin, a student at Denver Public Schools, works with a vacuum end-arm tool to learn how the robot lifts the parts out of the machine at Intertech

Why is a good school district so important? It’s simple. Today’s students are your employees of tomorrow. Cheryl Oldham, Vice President, Education and Workforce Policy, with the US Chamber of Commerce, joins us to discuss the state of our education system, namely the need for strong assessments and accountability, and the relationship between school districts and the local businesses. The episode kicks off in Ferguson, MO, with a clip from the radio show This American Life that highlights one example of why we need stronger accountability systems. How can you get involved and support your local district? Join us to find out.